Obituary of Martha Margarete Rehberg

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Passed away peacefully on Monday, August 12, 2024 at the age of 86.

Martha will be deeply missed by her husband of 55 years, Paul Rehberg. She is also survived by her daughter Kathy and her husband Anas Rana, son Michael and his wife Marina, and her grandsons Yusuf, Bilal, Shawn, and Freddy.

Martha was predeceased by her parents Dietrich and Martha Wiens, brother John (Eleanor) Wiens, and her sister Ingrid (Fred) Neufeld.

Martha Rehberg was born to Martha and Dietrich Wiens in Kitchener, Ontario in 1938. Her parents’ families had fled the Russian Revolution and eventually settled and met in Waterloo Region. Martha’s mother’s family became one of the founding families of W-K United Mennonite Church, where she grew up and was baptised. Her beloved father gave her her name, after her mother, but died of cancer when she was very young. Her mother made do and the children, especially her older brother John, contributed to the household income, sometimes scraping together money for a loaf of bread. Martha took her older sister Ingrid’s suggestion to become a teacher because ‘it wouldn’t be boring’. Thus began a lifelong passion for teaching. She taught many grades at several schools and for a number of years was a middle school art teacher. She was very proud to have been able to go to Toronto one year to learn from an artist who had been taught by members of the Group of 7. One of the highlights came at the beginning of her career when she taught at Twillingate, Newfoundland with her friend Lorraine. Lorraine got married and Martha thought the best man at the wedding really was ‘the best’! So Paul Rehberg and Martha married in 1969 and joined St. Peters Lutheran Church in Heidelberg, moving to St. Clements where they lived with their children, Kathy and Michael, for many years. For many years she served by teaching Sunday School, ushered, sang in the choir and read the lesson at church.  Every Saturday St. Clements, ready or not, could no doubt hear “Live from the Met” opera broadcasts booming from the family home. Martha loved her family, classical music, chocolate, travel, beautiful nature views, swimming and another good book. She was proud and thankful to have visited 40 countries. Most trips were with her beloved husband, Paul. A favourite sight at weddings was Paul and Martha whirling to a polka, because “your father really can dance!”

She welcomed Anas (Kathy’s husband) and Marina (Michael’s wife) into the family. With great joy, she played with her grandsons Yusuf, Bilal, Shawn, and Freddy. 

In recent years, walks on the Iron Horse Trail would lead her to loudly exclaim, “Thank you, God!”

Mom passed peacefully at Stirling Heights in Cambridge, with Dad at her side and the Rev. Sandy Zondervan, having sung her into peace with the hymn, “Softly and Tenderly”. 

The family would like to thank all our friends, relatives and colleagues who have supported us with messages, visits, and prayers in these years and in these challenging days. Thank you to Pastor Olaf Poulsen of St. Peters for his support and friendship. Finally, thank you to the Langdon House staff at Stirling Heights and the whole team involved in Mom’s care, who treated her with dignity and kindness at all stages and gave an extra hug to us when we visited.

Visitation will be held at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., Waterloo on Sunday, August 18, 2024 from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm. The Memorial Service will be held in the funeral home’s chapel on Monday, August 19, 2024 at 1:00 pm, with a livestream available on the funeral home’s website. A Reception will follow in the Fireside Reception Room.

In lieu of flowers, condolences for the family or donations to the MCC, Alzheimer’s Society, or St. Peters Lutheran Church, Heidelberg would be appreciated and may be arranged through www.erbgood.com.